County Down’s Gill Hall Estate, the venue of the 2023 World Sheepdog Trials, is set to open its gates for its inaugural on-farm pedigree sale on Saturday 1 March 2025.

For the first time, an on-farm production sale of two native breeds - Old Glenort Angus and Uppermill Shorthorns (established 1882) - will take place in Northern Ireland, offering buyers a rare opportunity to visit the stunning 510-acre Gill Hall Estate.

Home to champion herds, the Gill Hall Estate production sale will provide buyers from across the UK and Ireland the chance to acquire top-tier pedigree cattle genetics.

The sale will feature bulls and females from both the Old Glenort Angus and Uppermill Shorthorn herds, with all bulls semen-tested for fertility and raised on a low-concentrate diet to support longevity and performance.

Old Glenort Angus

With an impressive pedigree lineage, many of the animals on sale boast championship bloodlines.

The females on offer come from some of the oldest and most prestigious bloodlines, including cattle from the Old Glenort Angus herd, related to Old Glenort Victorious Y514, the 2024 RUAS Aberdeen Angus male champion, and Old Glenort Kim W501, the 2024 RUAS female and reserve breed champion.

From the Uppermill Shorthorn herd, buyers will have access to the first offspring of Perfection of Skailhouse, which was purchased for 20,000gns at the Stirling bull sales in February 2022, and Glenisla Jackpot, sire of the 2022 NI national Beef Shorthorn champion, Uppermill Lovely Lissue.

Established in 1996 by father-and-son duo Bill and James Porter, the Old Glenort Angus herd has consistently achieved national recognition. In 2006, James Porter acquired the Uppermill Beef Shorthorn herd, which was originally founded in 1882 and remains home of the world’s oldest beef Shorthorn genetics.

Commenting on the forthcoming sale, James Porter said: “At Gill Hall Estate, we have worked tirelessly to develop an estate renowned for breeding world-class cattle through our Old Glenort Angus and Uppermill Beef Shorthorn herds.

“Many of our animals have won numerous accolades over the years, including the Mohmar Trophy for Uppermill, which we secured for four consecutive years.

"These awards are a testament to the exceptional quality of our breeding programme and this sale is a fantastic opportunity for buyers to acquire genetics that have been developed and refined over generations.

“We are excited to welcome cattle breeders and enthusiasts to Gill Hall Estate for what promises to be an exceptional sale and showcase our carefully nurtured bloodlines.”

Sale details

The cattle can be viewed on farm at Gill Hall Estate, Villawood Road, Dromore, Co Down, BT251LQ, on Friday 28 February 2025 from 5pm-8pm.

The sale will take place on farm on Saturday 1 March 2025, with gates opening at 9.30am followed by the sale at noon.

Online bidding will be available via MartEye or by contacting the auctioneers, Harrison & Hetherington.

For further information, contact James Porter on 0789-993 6166.